Harry Potter and The Top Hat
by November Day
Summary: A Post Goblet of Fire. Harry get's a job as a waiter and meets Rinn a singer, Lord Starry Eyed a hippy ghost and Tinkles a House elf with issuses and oh ya Cho Chang who works at the Top Hat.
1. Default Chapter

Top Hat By: Squire song  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter Universe.  
  
"I'd make a great employee," Harry said out loud while shaking an imaginary hand. "Look I'm brimming with politeness and sincerity." Harry's face with a very visibly forced smile looked back at him from the mirror he was standing in front of in the bathroom. He dropped his hand and the face and returned to normal Harry Potter, well Harry Potter of after the third task. The Harry Potter of before the third task it seems had decided to take a one way trip on the Knight Bus and not return. Harry couldn't sleep very well, he spent a large part of his day hidden in his room reliving what had happened during the final task and he didn't eat unless he absolutely had to. Harry decided that enough was enough and decided to use the advice Dumbledore had given him in his first year. Which was basically for him to move on and keep busy. So he applied for some jobs in the magical and non- magical world. He used the Knight bus unbeknownst to the Dursley's, to get to Diagon Alley, which kept Harry, connected to the magical world unbeknown to Dumbledore. Harry had given another name when he was aboard the Knight bus, Jack Evans. Stan it seems had transferred to Bulgaria, so Harry didn't have to be worried about being recognised. These unauthorised trips might not be one of the safest things for him to do but Harry could no longer stand being in that house anymore. Besides the Dark Lord would be busy assembling his dark forces and not have the time to go kill a 14 soon to be 15-year old boy wizard. Voldemort also still thought that he was with his muggle relatives all safe and sound and sound during the day. Harry looked down at his new watch he had got on one of his unauthorised trips to Diagon Alley.  
  
"Bugger," he muttered he had only half an hour to get to his interview for a club in Diagon Alley as a waiter. He wasn't very sure were the club was and wanted to arrive a bit early so he could get his bearings. He also didn't know how long it would take the Knight bus to get there. He quickly threw on a very large dress shirt that had various stains on it. It was a Dudley hand- me down so one must assume it would have stains on it. He put on some worn shoes and realised he hadn't put his pants on. "Well that would be one way to make an impression on the interviewer," he muttered to himself and threw on a pair of pants that could probably fit an elephant and ran out of his room and out the door. After a bumpy ride on the Knight bus Harry found himself looking at a restaurant/club that had seen better days. The faded and cracked sign above the door read THE SUNSHINE SPOT. The sun had long ago forsaken this place and even if it did come back a ray of light hitting this place would probably make it fall down in a crumbling heap. It was the last building of Diagon Alley and obviously one of the most run down and forgotten. He sighed looked at his watched, cursed himself and headed inside. When he came in he could see nothing it was so gloomy and dark. After a few seconds things started to clear and he could make out shapes. The building was basically a giant rectangle. Over on the left wall was a bar where there were only a few dusty beverage bottles. On the right and taking up the whole wall was a stage that looked like it would collapse if you blew to hard. In between the wall and the stage was a dance floor and tables. While Harry was observing this an old man with a glass eye was watching him. "Can I help you with something or do you just want to stare at the lovely décor?" asked the old man with the glass eye. Harry jumped a couple miles in the air, pulled his wand out and somehow in doing all that turned around.  
  
"Hey put that thing down, I ain't going to hurt ya." Harry looked sheepishly down at his wand and put it into his pocket.  
  
"Er, sorry about that, you surprised me."  
  
"Well that's obvious, now can I help you with something?"  
  
"I'm here for an interview," Harry spoke his cheeks still red of flame (which I think I'll be getting a lot of).  
  
"Oh, you're the young Mr. Evans." The old man looked him up and down.  
  
"I guess you'll do, you'll have to since no one else offered to." He then laughed out loud and slapped Harry on the back and almost sent him flying into the bar. "Come on I'll introduce you to the rest of the staff, and he started walking towards the stage. "My name by the way is Mr. Watch. This will be pretty short since there is only one more person on the staff and oh ya Tinkles, the house-elf.  
  
"Great," Harry said completely flustered. He had expected to be at least asked one question besides why he was there.  
  
"RINN!" yelled the old man completely startling Harry.  
  
"I"LL BE THERE IN ONE SECOND," yelled another female voice back.  
  
"Rinn is my singer, no band though no one would play here, so the instruments are played by magic." As Mr. Watch finished this sentence a girl came out from behind the curtain and glared at them both. She had on an old pair of jean overalls, with a simple white stained top. She was wearing no shoes, but she was wearing glasses. Her dull brown hair was in a braid and the eyes that glared down at them both were a startling and lively green.  
  
"What is it, I was right in the middle of something"  
  
"Rinn, I would like you to meet are new waiter, Jack Evans." The girl's expression completely changed and she smiled at Harry showing even teeth. Harry without realising it smiled back and shook the hand that she had offered.  
  
"Welcome." Rinn said and took her hand back.  
  
"Could you please, show him the ropes, I have to go take care of some business," spoke the old man.  
  
"No, problem." Mr. Watch smiled and headed over to the door, thinking himself very clever.  
  
"Well there isn't much to know," and Rinn explained everything about the job. The basic jist of it was when a customer comes in give them the menu's give them a second to make a choice, write it down on the pad, and go collect it when Tinkles' tells you to.  
  
"We don't get a lot of people in here. Um. at night this place turns into a night-club and then you handle the bar. The only thing we serve is butter beer." Rinn showed Harry where the cups were and everything else he would need. When she was done she handed Harry and apron and told him to hop to it.  
  
Well that's it so far. I'm sorry I know that wasn't very interesting and your all probably wondering if this story even has a plot, but don't worry it will get better (I hope). Forgive me for grammar errors I know there are probably quite a few. Any way review no flames please. 


	2. The Sunshine Spot

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and his world. I do own Rinn and Mr. Watch. Thanks to my one reviewer. You completely made my day.  
  
Top Hat  
  
Chapter Two  
  
Harry looked up at the sign to the restaurant/night club and thought Ya right The Sunshine Spot, try void of any life spot. For the amount of time Harry had been working their (about two weeks) he had served all of one person. Well sort of, for when he had brought out the plate of squid, there was no one to give it to. The Hag had run off it appeared and it looked like she had taken the tablecloth and cutlery with her. The days weren't as boring as they seemed (nor as weird) though. Rinn always rehearsed during the day, during the dead hour as she coined it and since Rinn was pretty good that was nice. He had more luck when he worked at the bar at night while Rinn sang. A bunch of regulars always came right after they had got off work from the Broomstick making factory. They told Harry a bunch of stories about the good old days and witches they had kissed and ones they hadn't. Harry always loved to listen to them, though he wondered how much truth was in some of those stories. Most nights Rinn would finish early and come listen as well, sometimes offering a story herself. Harry never offered a story figuring he didn't really have a good one, nor one that wouldn't give away his true identity. He looked at the sign in disgust for a second more and headed into the darkness and gloom.  
  
  
  
"GOOD MORNING RINN!" Harry bellowed in the general direction of the stage. Rinn was always here first in the mornings, and could always be found doing something behind the stage.  
  
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO FRED?" was Harry's good morning. He grinned that was the thing with Rinn, she never said good morning or anything like that she always asked a question.  
  
"NO."  
  
"WELL, YOUR USELESS," Rinn screamed back. Fred by the way if you wish to know is a microphone that always makes that ear-piercing I'm going to go deaf if you don't shut that off now sound, when ever you basically touch it. (Rinn also likes to name things.)  
  
"WOULD, YOU TWO PRATS PLEASE KEEP IT DOWN? TINKLES HAS A HEADACHE!" screamed Tinkles the house elf. Tinkles was not exactly a normal house elf. She looks like one but she sure don't act like one. You see Tinkles is very bitter, she claims she has no purpose to her life. She use to work for some really rich businessman and for a reason no one knows she was given a hat and told to boot it. No one would take her, after she was dismissed since they didn't know why she had been let go by her old master. Mr. Watch needed a cook for The Sun Shine Spot and took her in. Tinkles was thrilled down to her toes. (A/N do house elf's have toes?) Unfortunately she had no one to serve since no one would come here. Nobody talks about why she had been booted or mentions anything to do with house elves unless they wanted to hear and see the sound of weeping, things crashing and Tinkles downing enough liquor to fill 10 house elves and all of Great Britain all day. She still wears that moth eaten hat, her old master gave her. It's for punishment, she claims, to remind her what she gave away.  
  
"SORRY TINKLES," Harry yelled and ducked as a frying pan whizzed by were his head had been. Rinn at that moment came out from behind the stage, holding Bob in her hands (yes another microphone.) She was dressed in her standard over alls with a long blue shirt. Harry looked at the microphone and something dawned on him.  
  
"Rinn, why do you have to use a microphone, why not just use magic?"  
  
"I'm assuming that Mr. Watch's last singers were more beautiful then they were singers." When she saw Harry's befuzzled face she smiled and continued. " The microphones are enchanted to make the person singing into it sound actually like they have a nice voice and I can't use magic to make my voice project, so I have to use them. I think perhaps, I should do the world a favour and send one out to Britney Spears."  
  
" I see," said Harry. Rinn actually had a nice voice, Harry had heard it once when she hadn't been using the microphone. It made him wonder why she even bothered working here, since he was certain she could get work singing somewhere else. He had tried to bring it up once, but she had quickly changed the subject, much like he did when she brought up why he bothered working here. Everyone who worked at the Sunshine Spot it seemed had a past nobody talked about. Harry didn't even know Rinn's last name, hek she didn't even know his real name. Even old Mr. Watch it was rumoured had a tragic past something to do with why he had a glass eye. Harry shrugged, put on his apron, sat on a table and watched Rinn rehearse with a smile on his face.  
  
Well that's it. The point of this chapter would be for you to meet the characters. The third chapter will hopefully be up soon. I know that was kind a pointless towards the plot but next chapter will actually start the story. I apologise for the grammar mistakes. I know there are a lot and next chapter I am hoping to get someone to read it over. Review please and no flames. Hope you have a nice evening, night or day. 


	3. When House Elves go mad

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and his world. Nor do I own the Frying pan of doom.  
  
Top Hat  
  
Chapter Three: When House Elf's Go Mad.  
  
"GOOD MORNING RINN."  
  
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY SPARKLY RIMMED GLASSES?"  
  
"NO"  
  
"YOUR USELESS."  
  
Harry chuckled to himself and put his apron on. Rinn at that moment came out from behind the stinky and fading curtain of the stage and glared down on him, Ray was in her hand. Well she was glaring at Harry's back for he wasn't facing her.  
  
"You really are useless, you know. Every morning I ask you something and you never answer, why yes I do Rinn they're right over there. No it's always NO." The glare quickly turned into a smile and her eyes danced with humour. Harry turned around and returned the smile.  
  
" Good morning by the way," said Rinn carelessly, as she started fiddling with the microphone stand.  
  
"I bet, so did you find them?"  
  
"Yes, but no thanks to you."  
  
"Well you never let me behind that stage, you always keep going on about are own separate domains and my station is the open floor with all the nice empty chairs keeping me company."  
  
"For good reason to. You'd go back there with all that extra weight on you, you would hit something that that your not suppose to hit and poof, the stage collapses into the big black hole that is the basement and Jack and my stage are never seen again, and what am I suppose to do without a stage?"  
  
"Your concern for my safety is heart warming."  
  
"I know, I really do have to big a heart."  
  
"Your right about everything of course."  
  
"What's that suppose to mean?"  
  
" Just that you would somehow manage to trip over a box up there, even though it's right in front of you and there is room all around it for you to get by it, fall onto some suppose button that will make the stage fall into the big black swirling hole the basement is, and there you go, no stage and no Rinn, and the world is a better place."  
  
"Ouch," Harry yelled as Rinn whapped him in the arm with Ray, which sent out a piercing static sound throughout the Sunshine spot.  
  
"Are you trying to say that I'm not graceful," demanded Rinn after the ringing had died down.  
  
"YES."  
  
Rinn when hearing that sort of sputtered for a moment glared at Harry and desperately tried to come up with something to say.  
  
"Fine, you win,' she then smiled, "But I'll get you next time," making the loss not seem like one.  
  
"Thank you," he then made a mark with a piece of chalk onto the chalkboard that was meant to list the days specials. It had been converted into a sort a score board for Harry and Rinn (that certainly was a more practical purpose for it). They were now neck and neck, each with 100 points.  
  
"How is Tinkle's this morning by the way." Rinn attempted to jump down from the stage and somehow managed to trip and fall instead. She then calmly looked up at Harry from the floor, her lively green eyes curious as they looked through the lenses of her sparkly rimmed glasses.  
  
"That's funny," said Harry looking over at the kitchen door.  
  
"What?" Rinn asked, also looking at the kitchen door, wondering what she was suppose to be seeing."  
  
"Well she didn't tell us to shut up this morning." Harry said turning towards the girl on the floor.  
  
"That's weird, normally that's the highlight of the day for her. I wonder do you suppose she's left?"  
  
" Or maybe, she's simply tired of us and is not speaking to us."  
  
"Or she's been kidnapped, er houseelevednapped.  
  
"Maybe Tinkles old boss has come back for her and confessed his undying love for her." "Or she went into the basement to get more radishes and fell into the black hole."  
  
"Or, she couldn't stand us any more and has left for the States in search for a better life."  
  
" Or maybe she's been abducted by aliens and as we speak horrible tests are being performed on her."  
  
"Or she got tired of us, flew away on a broomstick, with all the restaurants radishes, to the States, then got abducted by aliens, which you could call being kidnapped, where a chip was planted in her head and in them doing so she has been turned her into a spy for the aliens against her will and while she was in the flying saucer one of the aliens could turn out to be her old boss, who wants to make her his alien bride.  
  
"Er, um, damn it, you win."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
" Thank you," muttered Rinn in a not so flattering voice imitating Harry. Harry then added another mark to the chalkboard and offered his hand to Rinn, who happened to be still on the floor. The two friends then headed off to the nearly invisible door that led into the kitchens- Tinkle's domain.  
  
"Tinkle's," they called into the gloomy darkness of the kitchens.  
  
" YOU TWO, YOU TWO, YOU TWO, AHHHHH," screamed a very angry house elf holding onto a frying pan, were when she started screaming swung it at Harry. Harry thanks to his Quidditch training and his natural instinct to duck very hard frying pans- which had been put to practice quite a bit thanks to Tinkles- was able to duck just in time.  
  
"ALL YOU EVER DO IS BICKER AND BE HAPPY! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT HOW TINKLES FEELS. NOOOOOO. IT'S ALWAYS ABOUT YOU, YOU, YOU," and with that last YOU she swung her frying pan of doom at the unprotected Rinn. Rinn with a grace that was not typical of her ducked it. Tinkle's had swung that frying pan so hard, that when it didn't connect with anything, she ended up spinning around and hitting herself. She had also ended up knocking herself out cold. The two people that had not been moments before swinging a frying pan around looked at one and other then looked down at the unconscious elf, then each other, then the elf and finally each other again.  
  
"Oh dear," said Rinn. Harry bent down and was looking at the bump on her forehead, which happened to be the size of a snitch.  
  
"I think we're going to need a doctor," Harry said to anyone.  
  
"Well what do you want first the head doctor or the medical doctor." Harry just glared up at Rinn. "Sorry, sorry. Who do we call for this, by the way?"  
  
"I have no idea." Harry covered Tinkles with his apron and Rinn grabbed a dishtowel, folded it up and put it under the poor house elf's head.  
  
"I think we had better call Mr. Watch," and Rinn got up from kneeling beside the elf and went over to a clock that was on the wall. The clock, like most clocks in the wizarding world was absolutely useless for finding out the time. This particular clock had things written on it like out to lunch, gone fishing, at home, it was basically a tracking device for Mr. Watch. Hanging from the clock was an old matted rope, which like many things in this place had seen better days. The arrow at the moment was pointed to gone fishing, where normally a six is suppose to be. Rinn seeing that then pulled the string six times and quickly went back over to Harry and Tinkles.  
  
"He's on his way," she told Harry, who was looking really upset. A few minutes later you could hear footsteps heading their way.  
  
"What's all the commotion about?" asked Mr. Watch. He was carrying a fishing pole with a real fish waving around on the end of it, cause it appeared to still be attached to the hook.  
  
"Tinkles went insane and knocked herself out with a frying pan," said Rinn.  
  
"Oh Lord, I knew this day would come. I best get her on up to St. Mungo's, you two hold down the fort."  
  
" Isn't St. Mungo's s only suppose to be for humans?" asked Harry, both Rinn and Mr. Watch looked at him oddly.  
  
"You'd be muggle born?" asked Mr. Watch.  
  
"Uh, yes." Harry looked down at his toes, well it's sort of true he thought.  
  
"Oh, that makes sense, St, Mungo's also has a magical creatures department for accidents like this," informed Mr. Watch to Harry.  
  
"What a house elf going insane and ends up hitting themselves in the head with a frying pan?" Both men glared at Rinn.  
  
"Sorry." Mr. Watch quickly conjured up a stretcher with his wand placed the poor house elf on it and with house elf, fish and pole he Apparated to St. Mungo's.  
  
"I wonder what drove her to try and impale us with a frying pan?" asked Rinn to Harry. Harry mumbled something and continued to be lost in his thoughts.  
  
"Hey, do you want to get some fresh air?" It was quite obvious he was upset by something, also a house elf had just tried to hit him with a frying pan, so it seemed pointless to ask if he was upset. He didn't answer her.  
  
"Hey, Jack?"  
  
"What? Oh sure, lets go." He shook himself out of his stupor and headed for the kitchen door. Rinn followed him, puzzled as what could be bugging him so much. Yes, Tinkles the house elf went a little insane but she had only given herself a bump and would be fine. She'd probably be back tomorrow if they didn't keep her for a sanity test. It wasn't like they were best buds or anything. Also this seemed like he was more upset about something, something more then what had happened.  
  
"Wait a second we can't just leave, no one else is here to watch the place," Harry stopped dead in his tracks and turned toward Rinn.  
  
"No one comes here remember, we'll just lock the place up for a little while and take a small stroll around the shops of Diagon Alley, spend some of that pay check money. Harry laughed and feeling a bit better offered his arm to Rinn, just like a perfect gentleman. Rinn laughed, hooked her arm in his and off they went, remembering at the last moment to lock the door.  
  
  
  
Harry I think he's a little out of character, sorry. Tinkles is okay, something that you'll find out later is the reason why she is so upset. Please review and no flames. Sorry about grammar, no one will read this over and HELP ME. This chapter is odd but this is as odd as it gets (maybe). 


	4. An unexpected meeting

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter Universe or people.  
  
Top Hat  
  
Chapter four: A Surprise Meeting  
  
Harry looked at all the shops of Diagon Alley and slowly started feeling better. He was glad Rinn had suggested they get out of there. The incident with Tinkle's had brought back some memories he didn't want to think about. Instead he wondered what had made Tinkles snap today of all days. The bickering this morning hadn't even been that loud or as long as some of the arguments had been in the past. Rinn then voiced the question that had been plaguing his mind.  
  
"I wonder why she snapped?"  
  
"I have no idea, perhaps it just became to much."  
  
"I hope she's alright." Harry was about to ask Rinn something when, a patch of familiar black hair caught his eye. Uh oh, Harry thought.  
  
"Rinn I think the other way has more shops, let's turn around."  
  
"Um, Jack that leads only to Knockturn Alley."  
  
"Really? Well haven't you always wondered what's down there?"  
  
"Not really, it's mostly dark stuff I hear."  
  
"Well why don't we confirm that?" and with that Harry very forcefully turned Rinn in the other direction and basically shoved her toward the street.  
  
"Ouch, Jack stop that, what's wrong with you?"  
  
Cho Chang looked down at her watch and realised she only had about ten minutes left before her break was up. She quickly dumped the rest of her lunch in the trash and headed towards the hat shop were she worked. The Top Hat was owned by her Uncle and he had suggested she come work there to keep her mind off things. As she was about there, a pair of glasses and familiar dark hair caught her attention. She quickly turned in the direction she had seen it and there stood one of the last persons she had expected to see, Harry Potter. He looked different, his skin tone seemed darker and the scar wasn't there any more. He was talking quite excitedly to a girl with braided hair and glasses. He seemed to be trying to drag her off somewhere, and it looked like the girl was having no part of it what so ever. Cho Chang's feet without her realising it started to walk over to the feuding pair.  
  
"Rinn, please just come on, we won't go down Knockturn Alley, but we need to just go."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Hello," and it most certainly may be said that Harry Potter's heart jumped for a second time that day. Harry quickly swerved around.  
  
"Hello" he said overly brightly. He was suddenly hit with the memory of her beautiful face crying at the year-end Feast.  
  
"Cho," he said very quietly. She smiled at him and noted that he had different glasses.  
  
"So how have you been doing?"  
  
"Alright, you?"  
  
"Existing." The two didn't know what else to say. Both seemed kind of sad and lost in old thoughts. Rinn had been looking at the two and been thinking cousin, ex- girlfriend, Cousin of ex-girl friend, Sister of ex- girlfriend? She wanted to know, so very obviously she coughed into her hand. Harry realising what Rinn was doing grabbed her by the arm.  
  
" Well we have to go, it was very nice seeing you Cho," and with that he attempted to drag Rinn away. Rinn on the other hand had had been dragged enough today and refused to budge. If Harry wasn't going to introduce her she was going to introduce herself.  
  
"Jack, stop that," and she hit him in the ankle sending him sprawling onto the street. Completely ignoring his whimpers of pain she held out a hand to Cho,  
  
"Jack doesn't seem to want to introduce me so I'll just have to do it myself, I'm Rinn a co-worker of Jack." Harry on the group cringed at the number of times he had been called Jack.  
  
"Oh, nice to meet you. I'm a schoolmate of Harry's," said Cho uncertainly, while looking at Harry and shaking Rinn's hand. "Why do you call him Jack?"  
  
Harry at that moment sprung up from the street causing dust to rise in the air and make everyone cough.  
  
"It's just a nick-name she calls me, that's all," Harry quickly said after the dust had settled, "and we should get going Rinn are break is probably over." He looked at her with pleading eyes.  
  
"Oh, I have to get going myself, " said Cho looking at her watch. They were now both looking at Rinn, Harry with his pleading sad eyes and Cho with her curious sad ones. "Ya, we had better get going, it was nice to meet you Cho."  
  
"You to, bye."  
  
"Bye."  
  
"WHAT IN GODS NAME WAS THAT ABOUT?" was the question first asked by Rinn as soon as they had got back to the Sunshine Spot. She had literally been forced to run after Jack/Harry after the meeting with this "Cho."  
  
Harry was feeling very ill, disaster had almost struck and the memories were starting to flood his mind. Rinn couldn't find out he was Harry Potter because if she did they couldn't live the way they had been living this summer, they would find out about the past and this sanctuary would be lost forever. He had come to see his days here as a calm before the storm. Here there was no threat of Voldemort, only a house elf with some issues, there was no life threatening stakes, only the threat of the stage collapsing, No need for protection by powerful magic because this place was forgotten. When he went back to Hogwarts he would have to worry about these things, now, now all he wanted was a break, a chance to make some nice memories, so that they would see him through the dark times. He had set out only to find away to take his mind off the third task but it had become this. He wasn't the famous Harry Potter the boy who lived; he was just Jack Evans the waiter.  
  
"JACK, JACK ARE YOU LISITENING TO ME?"  
  
"Yes," Harry said very quietly.  
  
"What the hell is going on?"  
  
"It's complicated, I'm sorry, could we just drop it?" Rinn was about to say that she didn't care if it was complicated but stopped herself when she saw the look on his face. "Do you want a drink?" she asked instead.  
  
"Sure, that would be nice." Rinn quickly went and got him a Butterbeer, and told him to sit down.  
  
"I'm not going to ask you anymore on the subject of Cho cause I can see that it's a long story you haven't got over yet, but if you ever want to tell me I'll listen."  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"By the way do you know what happened to Fred?" Harry laughed so hard he spilled all his Butterbeer down his front and the comment hadn't even been all that funny.  
  
Well there you go chapter four complete and done. Please review and no flames please. Sorry about Grammar. Have a nice day. 


	5. A house elf's story

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter universe.  
  
Top Hat  
  
Chapter Five  
  
A House Elf's Redemption  
  
"GOOD MORNING RINN!"  
  
"DO YOU THINK TINKLES WILL BE BACK TODAY?"  
  
"I DON'T KNOW!"  
  
"YOUR USELESS."  
  
A couple of days have gone by since the Cho encounter. In that time Tinkle's had been released from the hospital after suffering a slight concussion and a bad headache. Mr. Watch mentioned she seemed subdued and wouldn't talk about what had happened.  
  
Rinn came out from behind the curtain of the stage and looked down at Harry, who as usual was putting on a white apron and had his back to her. Suddenly having an evil impulsive idea, she cried PIGGY PACK and that was all the warning poor Harry had before a very large something jumped on him. A scream and laughter was heard before a large crashing sound drowned them all out. They had fallen right through the floor and into the basement.  
  
"That's why you never turn your back on a lady," cried Rinn completely oblivious as to what had happened.  
  
"Ouch," Harry whispered for it had been his body that hit the floorboards first and the hard concrete floor.  
  
"HEY YOU TWO HOOLIGANS, WHAT THE HEK DID YA DO?" Mr. Watch and Tinkles had arrived just in time to see Harry and Rinn go through the floor in a heap of body parts. Down in the hole the two wayward teens realised what had happened.  
  
"You are not a lady," Harry croaked out to Rinn as he staggered to his feet clutching his bruised stomach.  
  
"What am I then?"  
  
"A demon with green eyes."  
  
"No, I think I'm a fallen Angel."  
  
"Yes, a fallen angel that went straight to hell." Rinn whammed Harry with her foot and sent him falling off his unsteady feet and right onto the chalkboard that kept score. It seems it had fallen with them.  
  
"Ouch." But with an evil smile on his face he made another mark on his side of the chalkboard.  
  
"HEY ARE YOU TWO ALRIGHT DOWN THERE? AM I GOING TO HAVE TO MAKE ANOTHER TRIP TO ST.MUNGO'S?  
  
"WE'RE FINE." Harry and Rinn yelled up to the old man and his house elf. Rinn helped Harry to his feet.  
  
"COULD YOU HELP US GET OUT?"  
  
"SURE THING, YOU TWO DING-DONGS JUST HOLD ON A SECOND."  
  
"Huh, I guess we're Ding-Dongs Jack."  
  
"No, I think your just one."  
  
"True, your not even worthy of that."  
  
"Well your worthy to be left down here, I can't believe you jumped on me."  
  
"Left in the big black swirling hole?"  
  
"Worse, left in the big black swirling hole and whatever I can think to curse you with."  
  
"Willing to be expelled for the sake of getting rid of me?"  
  
"If it means that I won't have to see you again, then by all means."  
  
"Ouch, somebody's egos a little soar not to mention his scrawny body?"  
  
"With thanks to you." At that moment a rope fell down the hole and hit Harry in the nose sending his glasses flying. Rinn burst out laughing and laughed even harder at the sight of Harry trying to find them.  
  
"I told you you're a demon," but even Harry had started to laugh.  
  
"And I think I won that argument." Rinn walked over to the chalkboard and with much devilish delight added a mark to her side.  
  
"You may be beating me Jack, but it isn't by much."  
  
"I'll give you that, you hit much harder and more frequently."  
  
"Damn it." Another mark had to be added to Harry's side.  
  
One at a time they climbed out of the hole and together they hoisted up the chalkboard. Harry and Rinn then made a big deal over Tinkles being back, while Mr. Watch examined the chalkboard.  
  
"Ha, Rinn he's beaten ya good ain't eh?"  
  
"That he is sir." (One would think that normal businessman would be more concerned about the obvious misuse of the chalkboard and let us not forget the large gapping hole that his two star employee's had just made. But Mr. Watch isn't a very good businessman and is more a kid then a man, so he thought it all good fun.)  
  
"Lucky, I spelled the chalkboard not to smug or be broken or you would have lost all of them scores.  
  
"Yes, what a pity," mumbled Rinn.  
  
The day went on without any more excitement really. They covered the hole up with a carpet that had been transfigured from a broken chair and put up a warning sign. The night was less eventful expect right at the very end, when Harry and Rinn were about to head home.  
  
"I really don't believe that story Donald told tonight, how is it possible to almost marry a dragon?" Harry was about to agree with Rinn when the sound of weeping met his ears. It appeared to be coming from the kitchens. They looked at one and other and headed over to the door. They slowly opened it, flash backs of what had happened last time they had gone into the kitchens ran across there minds. Over in a corner crying over what looked like a crumbled newspaper was Tinkles.  
  
"Tinkles why are you crying?"  
  
"Oh, you two, oh how Tinkles loved him." Rinn and Harry looked at one and other with raised eyebrows.  
  
"Who did you love Tinkles?" asked Rinn sitting down beside the house elf, Harry came and joined her.  
  
" My old master," and Tinkle's then went onto tell them her whole tragic life story. It seems she felt she owed them that much for trying to kill them with a frying pan. I think that she just wanted to tell someone also and this seemed like a good opportunity.  
  
It went something like this. Tinkles was the fiftieth house elf of the old wizarding family Dunlath. The Dunlath's were a very well to do business family that everyone wanted to be apart of. The family was made up of old Mr and Mrs. Dunlath and their two children Sarah and Colin. The old Mr and Mrs Dunlath died suddenly one night and the business, estate and money were left to Sarah and Colin. Sarah married and moved away, with her half of the inheritance (and from how Tinkles told them, Tinkles wasn't exactly upset to see her go). So Colin ran the family business and lived in the estate all by his lonesome (expect for Tinkles of course). Tinkles loved Colin for he was always very nice to her. They were both happy living the way they were, but then (and I can think you can see were this is going) Bridget came into the picture. Bridget treated Tinkles like the bottom of her shoe and Colin even worse, for he had become entirely ruled by her. Tinkles put up with it being the good house elf she was and just hoped that Bridget would get tired of Colin and go away. Unfortunately that didn't happen. They got engaged and Tinkles had seen how evil Bridget could be and so she knew she could not let this happen. She tried talking to Colin, but he wouldn't listen. So it was time for drastic measures. Every night that Bridget went to sleep (for she had already moved in), Tinkles would make her snore enough to vibrate the manor, but still Colin didn't see the error that was Bridget so Tinkles tried more and more ways to get rid of her. Nothing worked so Tinkles did one of the most selfless acts of her life. She cursed Bridget from ever returning to the manor. Unfortunately Colin found out and went berserk. He gave her the hat that he always wore to the office and told her to leave this instant and you know the rest of the story.  
  
"Tinkles you should just forget about them, move on with your life," said Harry with much conviction.  
  
"Oh Tinkles tried, but no one would take Tinkles only the kind old man did, but there isn't enough work for Tinkles to do and that's the only thing a house elf lives for."  
  
"Have you tried Hogwarts? Professor Dumbledore I'm certain would take you in and give you lots of work to do."  
  
"Tinkles can't leave Master Watch or you two all alone. No, Tinkles must stay here with the two that picker and the master." There was no helping it, Tinkles was determined to stay. "The true reason why I tried to hit the two that bickered with the frying pan that day was because of this." Tinkles handed the crumpled newspaper to Rinn. It was the social page of the Daily Prophet. The date was that of the day she attacked them.  
  
COLIN DULUTH TO MARRY BRIDGET MCMURRY  
  
"Well Tinkles I think that you should burn this paper and get rid of that hat, since all it does is remind you of the past and it's making you relive it," said Rinn snatching the old hat right off of Tinkles head, "and send it flying to the wind."  
  
Rinn handed the hat back to Tinkles and both Harry and Rinn left for the night and as they were about to leave, Harry turned around and very quietly said "I know how it feels."  
  
Tinkles sat and stared at the hat all night thinking, and at around 7:00am she picked up the paper and the hat and headed for the roof of the Sunshine Spot. Rinn who was just arriving saw her and what she had in her hand and smiled. "Send it to the wind Tinkles, send it to the wind," and just like that Tinkles let it go. The newspaper went flying and an unusual breeze came up and caught the hat and sent it flying even further then the newspaper.  
  
That's not one of my better chapters. Please review no flames, sorry for grammar have a nice day. (My god that was corny.) 


	6. Lord Starry Eyed

Disclaimer: don't own Potter and co.  
  
Top Hat  
  
Chapter Six?  
  
Lord Starry Eyed  
  
"GOOD MORNING RINN!"  
  
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS SAY THAT?"  
  
Harry breaking away from the normal routine turned and looked at her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"God, you're a useless and brainless boy."  
  
" Er, something wrong Rinn?"  
  
"Yes, you never say anything different, why not say salutations or Greetings or even Hey Rinn, how ya been?" Harry looked confused.  
  
"Does it matter that much?"  
  
"Yes, cause you need variety in your life and if you don't get variety in your life your only going to be what you're saying."  
  
" What? You think that I'll turn into a walking greeting?" asked a completely baffled Harry.  
  
"YES."  
  
"So you think it's a bad thing to wish a friend good morning?"  
  
"No, you're missing the point."  
  
"This argument has a point?" asked Harry exasperated. Rinn turned purple.  
  
"The point of this argument is that if you do a routine long enough it becomes what you are and it becomes this.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
"THAT WE ARE FOLLOWING ARE NORMAL PATHETIC ROUTINE BY ARGUING OVER A STUPID, POINTLESS POINT WHEN WE'RE NOT EVEN TRYING TO!"  
  
" I THOUGHT YOU LIKED HAVING THE ARGUMENTS?"  
  
"AND ONCE AGAIN YOU WIN THE ARGUMENT BECAUSE I AM SO FILLED WITH RAGE RIGHT NOW, THAT I CAN'T THINK OF ANYTHING TO DO BUT HIT YOUR HEAD VERY HARD ON SOMETHING EVEN HARDER IF THERE IS SOMETHING HARDER THEN YOUR HEAD IN HOPES THAT IT WOULD KNOCK SOME SENSE INTO YOU! Rinn screamed at the top of her lungs and almost tearing the curtains down in her rage stomped on the stage. She then headed even further into her domain leaving Harry just looking at the billowing curtain with wonder as to what happened to Rinn's brain this morning. Harry put on his white apron and realised he didn't have anything to do. He normally argued and talked with Rinn then watched her rehearse. Humm maybe she did have a point. Harry without blinking or thinking about what he was doing ducked as Fred flew over were his head had been. Hey it wasn't a frying pan he thought. Then he cringed as a deafing screeching sound emitted from Fred.  
  
Nope, definitely not a frying pan, frying pans just try to hit you and that's it, Fred on the other hand tries to hit you just to make you hurt then try to kill you by making your head explode. Sorta like Rinn. Harry walked over to the chalkboard and added a mark to Rinn's side deciding she probably deserved it.  
  
(A/N okay just stay with me it will make sense later, much later. [Rinn is reacting to something to do with her family.] Also I got kind a tired of writing the same normal bickering.)  
  
By mid-afternoon Rinn still wasn't talking to him. Tinkles much to her disbelief, was missing the bickering and came out of the kitchens to keep Harry company. All day long all you could hear was the sounds of crashing and cursing behind the stage.  
  
"Tinkles wonders what could possibly be wrong with Rinn?"  
  
"Do you think we should try to talk with her?" and ironically just at that moment a particularly loud crashing noise and curses were heard behind the stage.  
  
"No," Tinkles and Harry said together.  
  
"WHO THE HEK ARE YOU?" was yelled from behind the stage. Harry and Twinkles looked at each other and thought exactly the same thing. Rinn had gone insane.  
  
"WHAT?!" The two on the outside of Rinn's boundary heard an unfamiliar voice mumble something. Harry startled got up and went over to the stage and for the first time in his life entered the domain of Rinn. He stepped carefully for fear he would meet a death not by Lord Voldemort or another dark creature's hand but by falling through the stage and into the basement either breaking his kneck or being impaled by a floorboard. He didn't have long to step carefully before he saw Rinn talking to something.  
  
"Again madam I repeat myself, I am Lord Starry Eyed," said the pearly white ghost who bowed into the ladder that Rinn had fallen from, when the piece of wall she was nailing a nail into had suddenly become the smiling face of Lord Starry Eyed. Lord Starry Eyed had to be one of the strangest thing Harry had ever seen in his life, and that's saying something. The ghost was wearing a pantsuit with star patches all over it, one particularly big one on his kneecaps, so that if you put both kneecaps together it would make a big star. One of his shoes was a platform with peace signs all over it. The other shoe was the same but had lost its heel. He was wearing sunglasses whose frames were two giant stars and his pearly white hair was braided down to his ankles. On top of his head he was wearing a top hat that had a rip just along the edge. Slung on his back was a guitar that was just as purely and transparent as he was.  
  
Rinn looked up at him from the floor holding a hammer and a look of death.  
  
"May I add miss that I may be dead but I am not deaf, so there is no real reason to shout," finished Lord Starry Eyed looking down at Rinn with hidden disgust on his face. Rinn saw that disgust and her eye started to twitch with suppressed rage. She opened her mouth and sputtered for a second and then she really let him have it.  
  
"I WILL SHOUT WHEN I WANT TO, PARTICULARLY WHEN A POMPOUS EX-HIPPY GHOST MATERIALISES OUT OF NO WERE AND ALMOST KILLS ME AND THEN EXPECTS ME TO BE ALL WOULD YOU LIKE A CUP OF TEA? EVANS AND TWINKLES YOU HAD BETTER NOT BE ON THIS STAGE!" See that was another thing about Rinn. Rinn is one of those scary people that is really short but has a voice loud enough to drown out a jumbo jet and a temper to match. You know a Mrs. Weasley type. Harry forgot about the ghost when he heard that lost part.  
  
"What is with you and no one trespassing onto this stage?"  
  
" BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU DEAD."  
  
"This stage isn't going to fall."  
  
"That's why you're treading on it like its glass then eh?"  
  
" Maybe, yes but we haven't died and you've fallen on it more then a thousand times and it didn't fall. Also you don't even own this stage, Mr. Watch does."  
  
"EXCUSE ME?"  
  
Lord Starry Eyed and Tinkles watched the argument, there heads going back and forward to each speaker.  
  
"Are they always like this?" asked Starry to the house elf.  
  
"They aren't called the Two That Bicker for nothing, Lord Starry, sir."  
  
"This is going to be fun to hear all day, Oh well. This place has a good vibe all the same, it should make a nice home." Suddenly there was no noise, for a brief second.  
  
"What?" asked all the three.  
  
"That's right I'm moving in." He threw his arms open as though he was expecting a hug. He only received more horrified looks.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Good vibes? Er.well nice house elf?" He got a smile from the house elf, a blank look from Harry and a glare from the other human.  
  
" You can't stay here," said Rinn throwing her hands up in the air in frustrations sending the hammer that was still in her hand right through the ghosts' head. Again.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Why would you want to?"  
  
"I already told you."  
  
"No you didn't you cupped out. You attempted to give a cute answer and not answer the important question."  
  
"I thought it worked."'  
  
"Cupping."  
  
"Fine the place I was staying burned down in a heap of cinder and no one else would let me stay. I curse the man who invented ghost repelling charms."  
  
"Did you burn it down?"  
  
"RINN!"  
  
"Well it's not like we know him very well. He could have."  
  
"I did not, it was a grease fire."  
  
"Did anyone get hurt?" asked Harry concerned.  
  
"No, luckily everyone had gone home for the night and since I'm already dead it only really tickled. The people who owned the placed didn't lose too much; it was one of there hundreds of stores and heavily insured.  
  
"Then why don't you remain there?"  
  
"Because they wouldn't let me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't have to tell you."  
  
"Cupping."  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Drop it, Rinn." Harry said recognised the look on the ghost's face. The look of closed off distance. Rinn had seen it to and decided to follow his orders. For now.  
  
"I think I'd better call Mr. Watch and all of you GET OFF THE STAGE." Everyone not wanting to bother arguing with Rinn did as she ordered.  
  
Mr. Watch when finding out the situation thought having a ghost around would be a great idea, particularly when it turned out that he would be willing to sing for free. Rinn sort of sputtered again when hearing this and then managed to talk Mr. Watch into doing a background check. It turned out that Lord Starry Eyed had been telling the truth but for some reason Mr. Watch wouldn't tell the original staff why he hadn't been allowed back.  
  
So life continued with Lord Starry Eyed added to the bunch.  
  
"Lord Starry Eyed you need a nick-name it's annoying always calling you that huge name. What about just calling you Starry?"  
  
"I have been Lord Starry Eyed since the early 60's when I first went out on my own to make a name for myself as a singer. I am not about to change it because it confuses your brain to much."  
  
"It's a nick-name, I'm not changing it."  
  
"No."  
  
Rinn gave up. Rinn eventually quit arguing with Starry Eyed and sure enough when she did, their relationship greatly improved. In only a week Starry Eyed felt like he had always been there.  
  
That's one of my favourite chapters. Sorry about grammar and everything in the last chapters being mashed together, I have finally figured out fanfiction downloading, so that shouldn't happen again. Please review and no flames. 


	7. Something

Disclaimer: Don't have any ownership or rights to the Harry Potter franchise/books. A lot of other people have rights and ownership. I unfortunately am not one of those people. I do have ownership though to Rinn and anything else that you don't recognise from Harry Potter. Also don't own the SheDaisy song, I wish I were the rain.  
  
TOP HAT  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Conversations  
  
  
  
"SALUTATIONS, RINN!" Harry yelled in the general direction of the stage. He then as he normally did put his white apron on.  
  
"DO YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO THE GREEN ROPE AFTER WATCH HOISTED US UP WITH IT?"  
  
"NO."  
  
"TYPICAL AND USELESS!"  
  
"IT'S OVER BY THE BIG ORANGE BUCKET."  
  
"THANKS, LORD STARRY EYED, GOOD MORNING BY THE WAY."  
  
"GOOD MORNING LORD STARRY EYES," chirped in Harry.  
  
"GUTEN MORGEN, AS WELL MY YOUNG FRIENDS."  
  
"WOULD LORD STARRY AND THE TWO THAT BICKER PLEASE SHUT THEIR LOUD MOUTHS!"  
  
"GOOD MORNING TINKLES!" cried out the two that bicker and Lord Starry Eyed to the elf that was giving them the evil eye from the door of the kitchen (and you can bet that was the best good morning they were going to get from Tinkles.)  
  
Later that afternoon, Tinkles was in the kitchen making lunch and Rinn was rehearsing. Harry was idly tossing around his order book and watching Rinn. Lord Starry Eyed was watching Harry with a small smile that kept growing and growing as he watched the boy.  
  
"Something wrong?" asked Harry when he clued in that someone was watching him.  
  
"You like her don't you?" Harry looked at the ghost as though he was insane.  
  
"What? She's just a good friend," Harry answered, his blush out doing any the Weasley's could do.  
  
"I see," he said in one of those really annoying voices, you know the I-don't -believe-you-cause-I-have-decided-to-use-my-own-conclusions-and-the- only-reason-I-asked-was-to-horribly-embarrass-you-and-make-you-sqirm.  
  
"I don't like Rinn." Harry flatly stated.  
  
"Then why do you watch her with that smile on your face as though the very angels were speaking to you?"  
  
"It's just that when Rinn sings she seems so powerful as though nothing could possible touch her." Poor Harry while he was saying this got that dumb little smile on his face again. Starry Eyed looked at Harry and began to laugh hysterically.  
  
"What?" asked a very red Harry.  
  
"Nothing lad, nothing at all," and with that he floated away, still laughing. Harry watched him go and then turned back to the stage and listened to Rinn. She was singing some muggle song he had never heard before.  
  
I wish I were the rain, cause it can fall as hard as it wants to  
  
Gingerly down a lover' s face  
  
Cry for hours and weeks on end  
  
And never feel a bit of pain  
  
I wish I were the rain.  
  
  
  
She was ever so slightly smiling; her hands in fists at the intensity of her feelings and her eyes shone green. Perhaps it was what Starry Eyed had been saying still running through his head or his own heart finally being able to beat past his sluggish brain but, at that moment he realised that perhaps Starry Eyes was right. All of those times they fought, how he had always looked foreword to coming here in the morning, but particularly to see Rinn. How she never said good morning, how she named her microphones, how she fell off the stage three times out of three. The thought made him smile then he become quite petrified.  
  
He had to think about this, so without any cause or reason to anyone around, he suddenly stood up and fell flat on his face.  
  
"Jack are you alright?" cried out Rinn from the stage.  
  
"Yes, I have to go now" and with that he bolted from the room and out onto Diagon Alley. Rinn watched him go then fell from the stage and went after him.  
  
  
  
Sir Starry Eyed and Tinkles watched them go, both wore huge grins.  
  
"I think poor Jack just figured it out."  
  
" It took him long enough," Tinkles said looking at the door were the two teens had just left.  
  
"Ah young love, both a blessing and a curse." Then both house elf and Ghost laughed out loud thinking of the entertainment that was to come.  
  
The plot has thickened and it only took SIX chapters. Anyway forgive the grammar, no flames, but constructive criticism welcomed. Have a nice day, night and morning. Humm reading that over I think I rushed it. This is not one of my more favourite chapters. 


	8. Cho

Disclaimer: Don't own nothing  
  
Top Hat  
  
A Surprise Meeting. Again.  
  
Harry without looking were he was going walked through the packed street of Diagon Alley. His mind telling him that he was insane, that he couldn't possibly like Rinn. Rinn was Rinn, he was Harry and they were friends and that's all they could be. While trying to convince his heart -which wasn't buying it- he ran smack dab into someone. And by Fate that wondrous thing, whom should it be that he runs into, but alas his old crush the lovely Cho Chang.  
  
"Cho, I'm sorry are you alright?" Harry quickly got to his feet and held out a hand for the young woman, thoughts of Rinn completely vanishing from his mind for the moment. She took his hand and smiled at him.  
  
"I'm okay." They both just kind of looked at each other for a few seconds. She seemed so sad to him.  
  
"Cho, I'm er sorry about Cedric, he. " Harry trailed off and looked at his toes. He couldn't finish what he was saying. His throat had become too tight, but he was glad he had said something; he had wanted to for a while.  
  
"I know." Harry looked up into Cho's eyes that were sad and sympathetic.  
  
" So, Harry you got a job?" she asked quickly changing the subject.  
  
"Yes, I work at the Sunshine Spot, it's a restaurant slash bar I'd call it really." Harry realised he was babbling and silently cursed his own inability to speak around a pretty girl.  
  
"Oh, I work over at my Uncle's shop, The Top Hat," and Cho pointed it out to him. It was building with a newish looking sign. It had a giant cow boy hat in the window.  
  
"I'll have to stop by sometime," Harry replied.  
  
"HEY, JACK WHAT WAS WITH THE DISAPPEARING ACT?" yelled Rinn who had finally caught up with her co-worker. Both Harry and Cho turned and looked at the little midget girl, who was elbowing her way through the crowd.  
  
"WELL?" she asked. She had completely missed the appearance of Cho.  
  
"Hello, Rinn is it?" The girl in question turned to Cho surprised and then smiled.  
  
"Yes, and its Cho right?"  
  
"Yes." The two looked at one and other and smiled in that uncomfortable way when you don't know what to say. Finally, Rinn admitted defeat in finding out some conversation starter and turned back to Harry.  
  
"Jack, why'd you run off?"  
  
"Er, I needed some air." Rinn just looked at him and then she looked at Cho. A devilish smile spread across her face and her eyes got all demons green.  
  
"Right, air, I see," and she lightly jammed him in the gut with her elbow and winked at him. Harry silently screamed.  
  
" So, you work with Harry?" asked Cho using the hey it's obvious, but it's better then nothing conversation starter.  
  
"With Jack yes, you should come by sometime give us some business and of course see the stud," and again she jammed Harry in the gut. The raven headed girl visibly laughed forcefully.  
  
"Well Cho we must be going," said Harry thinking he couldn't stand anymore embarrassment.  
  
"What are you talking about? Are you on your break right now?" asked Rinn to Cho, while Harry was cursing the girl that he liked because she thought he still liked his old crush.  
  
"I am."  
  
"Well come have lunch at The Sunshine Spot. Jack can wait on you, just as he should." The black haired girl laughed at that for real.  
  
"Alright lead on."  
  
"Wait, er the place isn't that stable," said Harry grabbing for an excuse and coming up with that poor one.  
  
"Jack, not this again, it's fine." She then turned away from him. " So how long have you know Jack and why do you call him Harry?" Harry's eyes got the shape of giant saucers... 


	9. At The Sunshine Spot

Disclaimer: Don't own Harry Potter etc.  
  
TOP HAT  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Confessions.  
  
Cho's P.O.V.  
  
When we got to the place that Harry worked I had to hold back my shock. The place had most definitely seen better days, but at one time it must have been something amazing. Harry and his strange little friend, Rinn went in without hesitating. I hesitated for a second, but I followed as well; I was curious. When I walked in I was hit with dank blackness. Eventually my eyes adjusted and I looked the place over. The inside was a great deal like the out, the stage looked collapsible and there was a sign warning about something. I looked over at Harry wondering why he would work here, but he had his back turned away from me.  
  
"We actually have a customer!" yelled Rinn to one of the strangest ghosts I had ever seen.  
  
"Really?" The ghost looked me up and down with a puzzled look on his face.  
  
"Yes, she's a friend of Jack's," and she winked at the ghost.  
  
"Really," his voice now matched his expression.  
  
"Well Jack, you should do your job and offer her a seat." Harry turned to me, his face completely red. He led me over to a more stable looking table, handed me a menu and said he would be back in a moment. He made a beeline right over to Rinn. She was standing on the stage and was about to sing something when Harry's hand on the microphone stopped her. The instruments went on anyway, it was some really romantic love ballad that I vaguely recognised. I was beginning to think this was a bad idea.  
  
"NO, I WILL NOT!" I quickly turned my stare from the instruments to the living humans. When seeing my strange look, Harry quickly turned around and put a hand over Rinn's mouth and forced smiled me; Rinn then promptly bit the hand. He yelled and pulled his hand back. The small brown haired girl said something to Harry, but I couldn't hear it because of the band.  
  
"SHE IS NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Harry cried out.  
  
"OH PLEASE, WHY DID YOU GO RUNNING OUT OF HERE LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL AND WHEN I FIND YOU YOUR TALKING TO HER, WITH THAT LOOK ON YOUR FACE!"  
  
"I DON'T LIKE CHO THAT WAY. AND WHAT LOOK?"  
  
"YES, YOU DO."  
  
"NO, I DON'T"  
  
"YES, YOU DO. ADMIT IT!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
"HA THAT'S AN ADMITTENCE IN ITSELF."  
  
"NO IT'S NOT."  
  
I was about to leave thinking I had better come back later, but the ghost stopped me.  
  
"Give them a second, they'll be done in a second."  
  
"You mean they do this all the time?"  
  
"This is communication to them."  
  
"Oh, still I think I had better go, since I seem to be what the argument is about." At that moment though a house- elf came out of the kitchen laden down with food.  
  
"Is you going customer, m'am?"  
  
"I have to get back to wo." I stopped when I saw the crumbling looking on the house-elf's face.  
  
"You'd be one of the first customers for Tinkles to serve in a long while. Tinkle's was so happy, she had not served someone in so long and she was looking so forward to it!" and the house-elf, Tinkles her name it seems, broke down crying over the fresh caviar. I felt terrible. In the background I could still here the sound of the band and the even louder Rinn and Harry. I looked at them and the hysterical house elf that the ghost was trying to comfort. I then sat down against my better judgement.  
  
"Perhaps I can stay for a little while longer." Tinkles immediately got happy again and served the food.  
  
"You just wait m'am till I bring you the dessert," and the House-elf walked away. I heard laughter and I turned to my side. The Ghost was chuckling quietly.  
  
"You must think us completely insane," he asked. I smiled and lied.  
  
"No, not at all."  
  
"You are a terrible liar. I'm Lord Starry Eyed by the way, you may call me Starry if you want."  
  
"Cho Chang," I said and sort a nodded my head at him since I couldn't shake his hand.  
  
" You just caught us at are most batty." He looked over at Harry and Rinn. They were waving their arms everywhere and really screaming.  
  
"Their relationship is like that, they'll be done soon and well I have come to believe that all House-Elves are all a little insane, Tinkle's is a little more then others." I laughed at that and felt more at ease.  
  
"And what's your excuse, Starry?"  
  
"The sixties." I smiled. At that moment though a particular loud yell was heard from Harry.  
  
"BECAUSE I LIKE YOU!" And then there was dead silence, even the instruments had quit playing. Starry and I turned and looked at them, both wore shocked expressions and Harry's hand was over his mouth.  
  
"WHAT?" screamed the little midget girl. "YOU WHAT?"  
  
"I. GOT TO GO,"  
  
"NO, WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Harry looked at the girl for a second and then attempted to run off the stage. She tried to stop him and in the struggle Rinn was knocked over. She landed on the carpet and much to my surprise and horror disappeared down some hole. She landed with a thud and a muttered, ouch.  
  
"Oh God," I heard Starry mutter, " I better go and get the rope." At this point Harry was down at the hole asking if Rinn was alive.  
  
"Yes," was faintly heard and I got up to see if I could help.  
  
"Good, how about you stay there for a second." I stopped in my surprise and just looked at the Boy Who Lived like he was crazy.  
  
"WHAT? NOOO!" Harry ignored Rinn and jumped down from the stage and headed over to me.  
  
"Lord Starry Eyed could you leave us alone for a second I need to talk to Cho in private for a second." I turned and saw the ghost with green rope in his hand look at the hole and us.  
  
"Sure," and he floated away completely ignoring Rinn's screams. Harry came and sat down. I looked at him.  
  
"Are you going to help her?" I asked.  
  
"In a second, I need to talk to you."  
  
"Harry, I really think you should help her." He cut me off before I could finish.  
  
"Dumbledore doesn't know I'm here."  
  
"You know Harry, she could be really hurt." I'll admit I wasn't really listening to him, I could barely hear him because of Rinn's shouts.  
  
"Never mind Rinn for a second her body takes more beatings then anyone."  
  
"I don't think you should still leave her down there"  
  
"Look Cho, Dumbledore doesn't know I'm here and everyone here doesn't know I'm Harry Potter, they think that I'm Jack Evans. You can't tell people who I am, they'd get all weird and it won't be safe. Safe that word hit me and I completely forgot about the trapped girl as the rest of what he said finally hit. I got very angry  
  
"Harry you should be with your Muggle relatives if it's so dangerous for you. Do you want to die? Did you want to survive what happened in the third task just to die now?" He looked at me with his sad eyes, sadder then my own and leaned in closer.  
  
"Cho, I need you to understand, The Dursley's don't care about me at all and ignored me when I got to their house. Everything that had happened just kept going through my head. So, I did something to get my mind off it, I got a job. I met people like Rinn and Starry Eyed and quit thinking about it twenty four hours a day." I looked at his earnest and pleading green eyes.  
  
"Harry its still to dangerous," but my voice held an uncertain note in it.  
  
" No it's not, not unless you-know-who finds out. He's probably to busy right now collecting his dark forces to care about one boy wizard, Cho I can't go back there." There was real fear in his voice and eyes.  
  
JACK, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" screamed Rinn. I heard that and any part that was wavering inside of me was firmly squashed.  
  
"No, Harry you should go home."  
  
"I can't Hogwarts is home and I can't go there until the term begins." That hit me like a slap to the face.  
  
" I have to think about this."  
  
"Thanks, Cho." I smiled at him and then a microphone hit Harry in the head. Rinn stood behind him with another microphone in her hand, poised and ready to fire.  
  
"I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU LEFT ME DOWN THERE!"  
  
"I just needed to talk to Cho about something in private for a second," Harry said while rubbing the back of his head and glaring at the brown haired girl. (This appears to be a normal thing I thought). Rinn looked at the two of us, dropped the microphone and sat down. She had a defeated look on her face along with an annoyed one.  
  
"Then you could have politely asked me to give you a second, instead of abandoning me in a big black hole. I could have been claustrophobic for all you know."  
  
"You wouldn't have left us alone, you're far to nosy for that." Rinn turned her head and glared at Harry.  
  
"What's for lunch," she asked in an exasperated voice while pompously surveying the food on the table. We talked for a little while more and I was amazed to discover that Rinn and Harry could have a conversation without it ending in blood. They invited me to come back, when I said I had to go back to work. I thanked them and left. When I got back to the Top Hat, Trish, the girl I work with and am unfortunately related to was waiting for me. She demanded to know were I was and what took so long. I sighed and wished I were still in the Sunshine Spot, were the people may have been a little odd but were certainly nicer.  
  
Harry watched Cho go. Her eyes had not seemed so sad when she had left. He turned to the girl beside him with a smile on his face. He then remembered what had happened and cringed.  
  
"Jack," she began.  
  
"Would you like some ice cream?" and he offered some of the ice cream that Tinkles had brought them. Rinn sighed then smiled.  
  
"Sure." She accepted the ice cream and began eating it, never mentioning what had happened.  
  
"I can't believe you left me down there."  
  
"Well, I guess God gave you what you deserved since you're the reason why the hole is there." Rinn flung a spoonful of ice cream at Harry and continued eating. Harry cleaned it off without complaint, but with a smile on his face. They then went off to discuss other things for the rest of the afternoon.  
  
While all of that had been happening Tinkles and Lord Starry Eyed were watching them.  
  
"He spilled it, it really is only a matter of time now."  
  
"What about the Cho girl?"  
  
"Nope, it's still Rinn he likes. Oh the look on their faces was priceless!  
  
  
  
Cho will be taking on a bigger role now in the story. Next chapter, It's Birthday time for Harry! 


End file.
